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You are here: Home / All Recipes / Healthy Instant Pot Chili Mac

January 7, 2019 By Nancylynn 45 Comments

Healthy Instant Pot Chili Mac

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This Healthy Instant Pot Chili Mac is the perfect pairing of two of my favorite meals:  chili and mac and cheese.  Perfectly portioned for the 21 Day Fix, and gluten-free, too!  This is a healthy meal for the whole family! This post contains affiliate links for products I am obsessed with.

White bowl with healthy instant pot chili mac topped with cilantro. A hand is holding a spoon and about to take a bite. There is a second bowl seen in the background and some bell peppers sitting nearby.

Happy New Year, friends!

I will confess to a bit of a holiday hangover this week…there is so much to DO around here as my house still looks like a Christmas tornado hit and January is the biggest month of the year on the blog.  But I still feel a little unfocused, and I am writing this, I am thinking maybe because the holiday ended midweek?  I bet by the time this post goes live, I will be fully back in the game! ?

Two bowls of healthy instant pot chili mac sit together in front of an Instant Pot. Two bell peppers sit nearby.

Anyway, welcome to the first official recipe post of 2019!  And friends, it’s a damn good one.  This Healthy Instant Pot Chili Mac is puts two of my favorite things on the planet together:  chili and mac and cheese.

Two bowls of healthy chili mac sit side by side in white bowls topped with fresh cilantro. Bell peppers are laying next to the bowls on a wooden cutting board.

I actually grew up eating chili with little elbow noodles in it, but that extra layer of melty sharp cheddar cheese really takes this to next level deliciousness.  And thanks to the Instant Pot, this Healthy Instant Pot Chili Mac is so freaking quick.  Like under 30 minutes, including time to come to pressure thanks to only two minutes of cooktime!

It’s a magic pot!

Check it out:

Healthy Instant Pot Chili Mac Ingredients

This Instant Pot Chili Mac comes together quick and uses lots of pantry staples and spices!

You can use whatever ground protein you like for this recipe, but I was surprised at how delicious it was with ground turkey.  And to get the green container up, I added a ton of veggies – onions, tomatoes, bell peppers, and zucchini.  If you have picky eaters at home, you can try shredding the veggies to hide them better!  As far as beans, I added kidney, but this would be great with black beans or even garbanzo beans. Use what you have.  Or leave the beans out for 1/2 less yellow.

And you can’t forget the cheese!  I am partial to a very sharp cheddar, but you can sub Monterey jack or whatever cheese you like best.

You can also use my 21 Day Fix Freezable Cheese Sauce

Is this Healthy Instant Pot Chili Mac Gluten Free?

Yes!  I used Gluten-free Brown Rice Elbows to keep this Gluten-free.  My son also can’t have dairy, so I scoop out his portion before adding the cheese!

I don’t have an Instant Pot?  Can I make this Chili Mac on the Stovetop?

Yup!  I will add stovetop directions to the recipe card below!

Can I have this Instant Pot Chili Mac on the 21 Day Fix?

Of course!  The container counts are in the recipe card!

What are the 21 Day Fix Containers for this recipe?

Guys – this is AMAZING for containers!  First of all, it’s a HUGE serving size – roughly two CUPS!  And yes, you use 1 1/2 Yellows for this, but if you really want to keep it to one, you can just omit the beans.   But you also get 2 1/4 Greens for this meal which is complete insanity!  It’s also 1 Red, 1/2-1 Blue (depending on how much cheese you use), 1/2 tsp.

This Healthy Instant Pot Chili Mac is the perfect pairing of two of my favorite meals:  chili and mac and cheese.  Perfectly portioned for the 21 Day Fix, and gluten-free, too!  This is a healthy meal for the whole family! Healthy Instant Pot | Instant Pot Chili Mac | 21 Day Fix Chili Mac | 21 Day Fix Recipes | 21 Day Fix Instant Pot Recipes | Portion Fix #healthyinstantpot #confessionsofafitfoodie #21dayfixrecipes #21df

Looking for more Instant Pot Pasta Recipes for the 21 Day Fix?  Check these out:

Healthy Instant Pot Baked Ziti | 21 Day Fix Instant Pot Baked Ziti [Gluten-free]

Instant Pot Sausage Broccoli Pasta (21 Day Fix)

Instant Pot Mac and Cheese {Gluten-free}| 21 Day Fix Instant Pot Mac and Cheese {Weight Watchers Freestyle}

Healthy Instant Pot Taco Pasta | The Foodie and the Fix

More Instant Pot Pasta Recipes for the 21 Day Fix | Carrie Elle

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Healthy Instant Pot Chili Mac [21 Day Fix | Gluten-Free | StoveTop Option]

★★★★★ 5 from 9 reviews
  • Author: Nancylynn
  • Prep Time: 10 minutes
  • Cook Time: 3 minutes
  • Total Time: 13 minutes
  • Yield: 4 servings 1x
  • Category: Quick and Easy
  • Method: Instant Pot
  • Cuisine: American
Print Recipe
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Description

This Healthy Instant Pot Chili Mac is the perfect pairing of two of my favorite meals:  chili and mac and cheese.  Perfectly portioned for the 21 Day Fix, and gluten-free, too!  This is a healthy meal for the whole family!


Ingredients

Scale

2 tsp olive oil

1 lb ground lean turkey or lean ground beef

1 onion, diced

2 bell peppers, diced (I used one yellow and one orange)

1 small zucchini, cut into quarters

3 cloves of garlic, minced

1 cup of kidney beans, drained and rinsed well

1 ½ cups of uncooked gluten free elbows

2 teaspoons of chili powder

1 ½ teaspoons of cumin

¼ teaspoon of salt

1 (14oz) can of tomato sauce

1 (14 oz) can of mild diced tomatoes with green chilis

⅔ – 1 ⅓ cup of shredded sharp cheddar cheese  (if you use 2/3 cup, this is 1/2 blue per serving| if you use 1 1/3 cups, it’s 1 blue per serving)

cilantro for garnish


Instructions

Instant Pot

Set Instant Pot to saute and when it’s hot, add in the olive oil, then saute the ground turkey or beef until nearly cooked through.

Add in onions, bell peppers, and saute for a couple minutes until fragrant and veggies begin to soften. Then add in garlic and zucchini, cooking for an additional minute.  Be sure to scrape any browned bits off the bottom of the pot and deglaze with a few tablespoons of water or broth (¼ cup for 8 quart) if necessary.

Mix seasonings and salt into tomato sauce, then set aside.

Layer beans then pasta over the meat and veggie mixture, but do not mix.

Top with diced tomatoes, then pour tomato sauce and spices on top.  Again, do not mix.

Set Instant Pot for 3 minutes (if you are using a corn based pasta, do 2 minutes)  After cook time, do a quick release.

When it’s safe to open the lid, give your chili mac a good stir, then add in desired amount of cheddar cheese.  Garnish with fresh cilantro.

Stovetop

Cook pasta according to the directions on the package.

In a large pot or dutch oven, heat olive oil over medium heat and then saute the ground turkey or beef until nearly cooked through.

Add in onions, bell peppers, and saute for a couple minutes until fragrant and veggies begin to soften. Then add in garlic and zucchini, cooking for an additional minute.

Mix seasonings and salt into tomato sauce.  Add sauce to veggie mixture, along with the beans and diced tomatoes.  Cook for 10 minutes to let flavors meld together and the liquid to reduce. 

Finally, stir in pasta and cheese.

Garnish with cilantro and enjoy!

Notes

21 Day Fix Container Count – 1 1/2 Yellow, 1 Red, 2 1/4 Green, 1/2-1 Blue (depending on how much cheese you use) and 1/2 tsp.

WW Freestyle Points – Use 50% reduced fat sharp cheddar (1 1/3 cups), 99% lean turkey, and either whole wheat or chick pea noodles.  5 FP per serving (It jumps to 9 points per serving if you use 93%, but it is a HUGE serving.  You can also halve the cheese)..


Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 2 cups

Keywords: healthy instant pot, instant pot pasta, instant pot chili

Did you make this recipe?

Tag @confessionsofafitfoodie on Instagram and hashtag it #confessionsofafitfoodie

Related Recipes

Instant Pot Chicken Wild Rice Soup
Crustless Zucchini Quiche - A 21 Day Fix recipe, from Confessions of a Fit Foodie
Crustless Zucchini Quiche
Pumpkin Pie Hummus

Filed Under: All Recipes, Beef, Cooking Method, Courses, Diet, Dinner, Gluten Free, Hidden Veggies, Ingredient, Kid Friendly, Lunch, Pasta, Poultry, Pressure Cooker, Seasonal, Soups, Stews + Chilis, Stove + Oven, Winter + Christmas

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Kay says

    January 8, 2019 at 12:55 am

    Back to school today so it was perfect timing for a new recipe! Delicious!! I used chipotle tomatoes for a little extra zing. What size pot do you use?

    ★★★★★

    Reply
    • Nancylynn says

      January 8, 2019 at 1:10 am

      Oooh! Fun on the chipotle tomatoes! I use a 6, 8 or 3…but for this I have mainly used my 6.

      Reply
  2. Tom H says

    January 9, 2019 at 1:56 pm

    This was fantastic. And so many veggies! Thanks for the great recipe.

    ★★★★★

    Reply
    • Nancylynn says

      January 9, 2019 at 3:53 pm

      I am thrilled to hear this, Tom!!

      Reply
  3. Heather says

    January 14, 2019 at 3:08 am

    Would this work with whole wheat noodles instead of gluten free? Also does it freeze well?

    Reply
    • Nancylynn says

      January 14, 2019 at 3:38 am

      Yes and yes!

      Reply
  4. Boymom3 says

    January 15, 2019 at 2:36 am

    Recently started 21 day fix and found your website!
    Would this work with whole grain pasta? I
    Am think this would be. Big hit with my boys.!

    Thanks

    Reply
    • Nancylynn says

      January 15, 2019 at 9:59 am

      Yes! It will work perfectly!

      Reply
  5. Alexis Blazer says

    January 25, 2019 at 7:57 pm

    This was the first 21 Day Fix approved recipe AND my first Insta Pot experience. It was a hit. My household loved it and my fiancé who HATES cooked vegetables actually went back for seconds!!! It was easy, fast, filling and full of flavor! This will be a new staple in our home…thank you!

    ★★★★★

    Reply
    • Nancylynn says

      January 27, 2019 at 2:23 am

      Oh my goodness – that’s AWESOME!! So many veggies in this, too! Great job, Alexis!

      Reply
  6. Nicole says

    January 27, 2019 at 6:14 pm

    So many veggies! We all loved it!

    ★★★★★

    Reply
    • Nancylynn says

      January 28, 2019 at 6:29 pm

      Awesome, Nicole! Thank you for taking the time to comment and let me know!❤️

      Reply
  7. Jen says

    January 31, 2019 at 9:37 pm

    This looks really good, I was wondering could I use a crockpot or should I just stick to the stove? I personally do not own an insta pot. And I was thinking this would be great for an easy meal day! 🙂

    Reply
    • Nancylynn says

      February 1, 2019 at 7:22 pm

      I haven’t tried this in a crock pot, but I feel like it would just be easier to make it on the stove all in one pot since you are having to cook the meat anyway? Make sense?

      Reply
  8. Heather says

    March 4, 2019 at 4:03 pm

    This was delicious! I’m making it again for a group of 8 and needing to double the recipe. I was wondering if I need to adjust the cooking times, or is it best to make 2 separate batches? Thanks for all your wonderful recipes!

    ★★★★★

    Reply
    • Nancylynn says

      March 4, 2019 at 6:03 pm

      This doubles very well!

      Reply
  9. Aimee says

    April 15, 2019 at 9:27 am

    Hi Nancylynn!
    How many green containers would you estimate 2 bell peppers to be? I only ask because mine are diced and frozen. Thanks!

    Reply
  10. Stephanie says

    April 23, 2019 at 12:34 pm

    Hi! I’m excited to finally be making this tonight! Quick question – I am extremely averse to all bell peppers. I had planned to sub one poblano pepper for one of the bell peppers and was wondering what other veggie you might suggest I sub for the other bell pepper. What do you think about cauliflower or maybe just more zucchini? Thanks for any suggestions! 🙂

    Reply
    • Nancylynn says

      April 28, 2019 at 8:49 pm

      I think any of that would work great! So sorry that I didn’t see this sooner!

      Reply
  11. Erin says

    April 26, 2019 at 7:01 pm

    This recipe looks delicious, but I am grain free. Do you think I could I use lentil or pea pasta noodles instead? They typically cook like regular gluten-free noodles.

    Reply
    • Nancylynn says

      April 26, 2019 at 8:57 pm

      Yes!!! We have used them and they cook just fine!!

      Reply
  12. Deanna M Sinift says

    May 1, 2019 at 1:06 am

    I am in the process of making this. It never sealed. It doesn’t seem to have much liquid in the recipe. Has anyone else had this problem. Do I need to add more liquid?

    Reply
  13. Huma says

    August 7, 2019 at 2:36 am

    Hi Nancy,have you publishedmacros for this?

    Reply
  14. May says

    August 11, 2019 at 3:34 pm

    Worked perfect! Started by cooking 1/2 cup dried beans in my 6qt IP first. Then followed the recipe. Used barilla gluten free elbows. Through in some sliced olives. Great leftovers too. I might try subbing one of the bell peppers for diced celery next time. Great recipe!

    ★★★★★

    Reply
    • Nancylynn says

      August 18, 2019 at 7:25 pm

      Awesome! Love that you cooked your beans!

      Reply
  15. Claudia Matthew says

    September 23, 2019 at 5:16 pm

    How would this work for 2B?

    Reply
    • Nancylynn says

      September 24, 2019 at 2:20 am

      This is an excellent lunch option for the 2B Mindset!

      Reply
  16. Jessica says

    October 17, 2019 at 7:53 pm

    Nancy! This is great. 🙂 Quick question – could this be prepared in advance and then frozen? What method would you suggest? How would you reheat?

    Reply
    • Nancylynn says

      October 20, 2019 at 5:50 pm

      Yes! I would cook it through and them store it in ziplock bags flat in your freezer. I would reheat on the saute mode after thawing in the fridge or by placing the ziplock bag in a bowl of water for 30 minutes!

      Reply
  17. Samantha Corbett says

    October 20, 2019 at 1:02 am

    This is amazing! I had to look twice to make sure that the serving size was actually two cups. Very filling! Thanks for this recipe Nancylynn!

    ★★★★★

    Reply
    • Nancylynn says

      October 20, 2019 at 5:47 pm

      This makes me SOOOO happy!! Thank you for the review and rating – means everything!!

      Reply
  18. Jackie says

    November 7, 2019 at 3:21 am

    Delicious!! My kids LOVED it and I loved sneaking them a bunch of veggies!! Thanks!!

    ★★★★★

    Reply
  19. Tracy NIETERT says

    January 15, 2020 at 12:59 am

    This was delicious! I am just starting the program and thought I would be bored eating the same things over and over again. You’ve added variety. I can’t wait to try more!

    ★★★★★

    Reply
    • Nancylynn says

      January 20, 2020 at 12:36 am

      This is the BEST. <3

      Reply
  20. Lauren says

    January 18, 2020 at 3:33 pm

    Sneaky way to get kiddos to eat extra veggies! So much healthier (and yummier) than our usual chili Mac!

    Reply
    • Nancylynn says

      January 20, 2020 at 12:17 am

      YAY!! Thank you!

      Reply
  21. Chynna Owens says

    April 1, 2020 at 10:26 pm

    I am making this right now. I’m not on strict 21 day but also counting calories. How many calories do you think is in a serving of 2 cup?

    Reply
    • Nancylynn says

      June 11, 2020 at 1:37 am

      Myfitnesspal is awesome for calorie counts!

      Reply
  22. Allison Odneal says

    June 7, 2020 at 3:31 am

    Hello! I love all your recipes and got an instant pot just because of your recipes! When I made this recipe it kept saying “burn food”. I felt like it wasn’t cooking so i opened it and added some water and stirred it. I made it with lean ground beef and whole wheat noodles. I didn’t have burnt bits so didn’t do the water, should I have done water anyways? Also, I assumed when you said to set for 3 mins you meant on high pressure cook.. Is that right?

    Reply
    • Nancylynn says

      October 17, 2020 at 4:33 am

      Bummer! All of that sounds ok- some pots are just more temperamental than others. I hope you give it another try!

      Reply
  23. Leslie says

    June 29, 2020 at 12:30 pm

    Hey there: did you use dry kidney beans or canned?

    Reply
    • Nancylynn says

      June 29, 2020 at 12:31 pm

      Canned!

      Reply
  24. Marsha says

    January 3, 2021 at 4:49 pm

    Do you know the nutritional breakdown for this? Calories, Fat, Sugar, Carbs? Just started Noom… thank you! It’s delicious!

    Reply
    • Nancylynn says

      January 4, 2021 at 6:36 am

      So glad you liked the recipe! I have always suggested myfitnesspal for nutritional breakdowns, but don’t use them on the site. Wish you the best of luck with Noom!

      Reply
  25. Nicole says

    January 3, 2021 at 6:49 pm

    What are the container count for one serving?

    Reply

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